


Every Sun is Sunshine Gold

by SomeBratInAMask



Category: Marvel, Young Avengers (Comics)
Genre: Angst, Drabbles, Fluff, Humor, Multi
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2016-09-10
Updated: 2016-12-19
Packaged: 2018-08-14 04:19:20
Rating: Not Rated
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 18
Words: 9,324
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/7998325
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/SomeBratInAMask/pseuds/SomeBratInAMask
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Collection of my Young Avengers drabbles from Tumblr. They range from fluffy to angsty, serious to crack-humor, platonic to romantic. Some chapters are from my miscellaneous drabble anthology, <a href="http://archiveofourown.org/works/6648823/">Color It Up.</a></p><p> </p><p> </p><p>  <a href="http://somebratinamask.tumblr.com/tagged/fanfiction+for+the+void">Check out my tag for more!</a></p>
            </blockquote>





	1. TommyKate: Fight

**Author's Note:**

> Title from Monument by Mutemath. 
> 
> Dated: July 28, 2015

“Would you stop joking? This is _serious,_ Tommy!” Kate shouted helplessly.

Tommy’s smile collapsed. He sat on her bed in just his boxers, pale hair rumpled and lips chapped.

“It’s like you can’t take anything seriously ever!” continued Kate in frustration, standing over him in her night shirt. “You treat everything as a joke. But all that does is make _you_ look like a joke!”

Tommy was silent, watching her as she felt like ripping her hair out.

 _“Say something, dammit!”_ she yelled.

Tommy shrugged. “What’s there to say? You’re right. I’m a joke and I can’t take anything seriously.”

“Oh my god, do you have _any_ self-esteem? Any whatsoever?”

Tommy flinched, eyes downcast.

“And then you wonder why every girl you meet treats you like shit, and why you can’t get anyone to see the good in you. Because you never _show_ them the good in you!”

Tommy stood quietly, picking up his shirt from the carpet of Kate’s bedroom. He began putting it on.

“Oh, this is _great,”_ Kate said sarcastically. “Now you’re going to get dressed and run like a bat out of hell, because that’s all you’re good at, running away.”

Tommy’s paced quickened and he had pants on, shoes secured, and presence out of the house in a flash.

“Fuck!” Kate swore, turning around and kicking her dresser. She pressed her fists to her forehead, sinking to the floor.


	2. Gen: Billy & Doctor Strange

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Dated: July 28, 2015

Billy laid on the grass after training. Doctor Strange laid beside him. A half hour had passed, staring up at the night sky outside Doctor Strange’s lair. Billy’s panting had subsided.

“Soon, you’ll be able to do amazing things without a chant,” said Doctor Strange.

Billy rolled his head, looking curiously at him. “Like this?” he asked. He gazed back up, gently blowing his lips as if to whistle. A stream of magic flew into the sky, becoming a butterfly which shimmered blue as it fluttered above them.

“Oh,” Doctor Strange breathed appreciatively.

Billy’s mouth widened and out came a blast of magic which formed a translucent dragon. Its long body slithered across the stars and it opened its maw, crushing the butterfly between its rows of glittering teeth.

 _“Oh,”_ Doctor Strange repeated, less pleasantly.

Billy laughed, grinning fantastically.


	3. BillyTeddy: Awkward Pillow Talk

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Dated: August 1, 2015

Billy stretched out on the bed, turning toward Teddy. He skimmed his finger along Teddy’s collarbone. “You know,” said Billy, “I’m pretty powerful.”

Teddy made a humming noise. “I think we may have covered that.”

“Like, if I wanted to,” Billy wiggled a bit and folded his arms behind his head, “I could have kids.”

Teddy’s expression became puzzled. “Do you want kids?”

Billy shrugged. “I don’t know. But if I wanted to have them, I could.”

“So, you could,” Teddy hesitated, “give birth?”

Billy paused. Okay, this had taken a weird turn. “Well, I guess, that _might_ work. But if either of us were to give birth, wouldn’t it be more logical for _you_ to do it?”

Teddy scratched his chest. “What do you mean?”

Billy laughed lightly. “Come on, Tee, can’t you just change your - ” Billy’s eyes flickered between Teddy’s face and the half of his body covered by sheets. “You know.”

Teddy grimaced. “We’re not really, uh, considering pregnancy, are we?” he asked nervously.

Billy shook his head rapidly. “No! No, god no, neither of us,” he assured.

Teddy nodded along. “Right, yeah! Cool. Cool.”

They looked away from each other awkwardly.


	4. BillyTeddy: Nuclear Finger Tips

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Dated: August 24, 2015
> 
> Warning: Villainverse, bad end, not happy. I was going through something when I wrote this, probably.

The man couldn’t remember what it was like, being a kid. Was he like these ones, full of hope and self-righteousness? Ready to conquer evil and preserve the goodness of humanity?

A white blast whips through the air, hits him in the gut and sends him skidding across the pavement. His head slams against the concrete and he feels pain all over his body and for a moment all he can hear is a numb ringing in his ears.

He drags his eyes open, sees a kid high up in the sky. His eyes shine blue and he’s ethereal with his feet pointed perfectly like a ballet dancer. His arms are lean with muscle, the tips of his fingers nuclear.

 _No,_ he thinks. _I was never like these kids._

He supports himself on his elbow, crawling away from the battle even though his head feels like he’s suspended in water. Heavy, sluggish, disorientated. Everything is blue.

He finds himself an alley to rest behind. He is alone long enough to admit it was a bad idea, singling out Hulkling. It was a bad idea to use him as a publicity stunt, to video tape the entire torture. That god kid, the one floating in the sky, he was a GPS. And they found him, as well as the rest of his team. And now the building was incinerated, half his men stuck with arrows, the other half punched out, and he was hiding somewhere near a dumpster from the odor.

Time was hard to gauge. Things were less watery, but his skull was now an anchor weighing him down. Hard to lift. He didn’t even hear the footsteps. He wonders how far away he would’ve had to detect them to get away in time.

Hulkling towers over him, stronger and more intimidating than he had been, crumpled in that chair and half-conscious. He’s healed completely. His face is passive, no tension to his frame. It’s nearly foreign to him, after hours of seeing clenched fists and teeth.

Behind him comes up the god kid. The one with nuclear hands and a built-in GPS. His lips are peeled in a snarl, looking down on him. He wants to shrivel in on himself, but instead he scrambles forward. He locks his hands together, like he’s praying. “Please, don’t kill me. Please, I’m so sorry,” he grovels. He’s shaking so hard and _oh, god, I’m so sorry, no, no, no._

“I won’t,” the god kid says. The fury melts from his face, his eyelids drooping half-way.

The man exhales deeply, relief making him shake hard. He starts to grin when the boy talks again. “He will,” he finishes. Hulkling straightens, sucking in a breath. His eyes break away from the man, staring at the wall of the alley instead. “What,” the man says brokenly, crawling closer on his knees. “What do you mean, I, I’m sorry, I - ” The boy’s hand brushes along Hulkling’s arm before drifting off like a breeze. He turns around and leaves. Hulkling swallows, fists tightening then releasing. He steps forward, eyes now trained on him. The man sobs.


	5. CassieNate: (Not) Soul Mates

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Dated: September 28, 2015

It’s the tail-end of summer when New York gets hit by a heat wave. 100 degrees and Nate can see it in the air, the way the light ripples and makes everything feel like a Salvador Dali painting. Kate didn’t plan on needing central air conditioning, so Bishop Publishing is a miserable steam bath of kids who will put up with anything if it means not going home.

Nate escaped to the basement, where it’s cooler by fifteen degrees and quieter by five less people. He has his over-shirt shucked to the concrete, but he’s stubbornly still in his tank top because Cassie followed him down here and he doesn’t want her to see his chest. It’s not muscular like Eli and Teddy’s, or lean like Tommy and Billy’s. It’s undefined with visible tan lines and some fat that peeks out at the belly.

They’re sitting on the floor, Cassie cross-legged and Nate hunched over the detached arm of his Iron Lad suit. He’s got a panel open and a screwdriver wedged in it, tinkering with the neuro-muscular response. Cassie is leaning toward him, watching him mess around with the tech. She’s wearing jean shorts and a green plaid shirt cuffed to her elbows and unbuttoned over her white tank top. She’s sporting piggy-braids, but the humidity has made them frizz and she tucks a stray stand behind her ear. She draws in a breath. “You ever, like, think about soul mates?” she asks suddenly.

Nate glances up from the arm. “You mean in fiction?”

“No,” Cassie giggles, shaking her head like Nate is a puppy. She punches his arm lightly. “I’m talking about you and me. Soul mates.”

Nate scrunches his brows. “Cassie,” he says, concerned, “you do know soul mates are a myth, right?”

Cassie seems to take a couple seconds to absorb this. Then she pulls back and Nate immediately backtracks. “I mean, I’m sure we’re as close as it gets –”

“I think they’re real,” Cassie argues. Her voice is soft and her face is less open now. She looks confused, or conflicted. Her fingers drum on her bare thigh, eyes focused on the ground. Nate doesn’t know what to say to that, so he goes back to working on the arm.


	6. Nohmmy: Dramatic Exit

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Dated: October 14, 2015

A cool draft exhales on Noh’s leg when Tommy kicks off the covers. “You don’t have to leave _every_ night, you know,” Noh says drowsily. Tommy had fallen asleep as they talked for hours. Noh had actually thought this would be the time he stayed.

Noh hears Tommy swing his legs onto the floor. “Not big on sleepovers,” he responds.

That hits a nerve, the flippancy. Noh rolls over. He’s met with Tommy’s bare back, pale with soft muscle definition beneath the skin. Noh thinks briefly of tracing the knots of Tommy’s spine with his finger. Instead he makes a last-ditch effort to rile him up. Maybe make him care more. “Is this your abandonment issues coming through? Is that what this is, some childhood fear of never being loved? Because I can assure you - ”

Tommy turns his head toward him and sneers. “Oh, go suck a dick, you ass.” With blurring speed, he grabs his shirt from the end of the bed and zips out the door. Noh props himself on his elbows, staring blankly after.

Before Noh can process anything, though, Tommy is back in the room, searching under the bed. He retrieves a pair of jeans and stands up. As he finishes dressing, his eyes flicker to Noh. “I forgot my pants,” he says in explanation. It’s awkward and Tommy has this defiant tilt to his chin, daring him to acknowledge it’s awkward.

Noh accepts the challenge. “Bummer. Your dramatic exit is ruined now.”

Tommy scoffs. “I don’t need a dramatic exit to leave you,” he jabs. Then he proves how he right he is.

Sleep doesn’t come as easily to Noh after that. He hopes, beneath that airy bravado, Tommy is finding it tough too.


	7. BillyTeddy | TommyKate: Arcade

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Dated: October 14, 2015

“Stop button-smashing!” Billy exclaimed, fingers darting across the controller as he tried to defend against Kate’s spam punches in Mortal Kombat.

“No!” she shouted. “I don’t have time to figure out the fancy combos!” Her face was crazed and some of her hair had found its way in her mouth. Strobe lights from the arcade’s ceiling passed over her periodically, lighting her skin in an alternating green and purple.

“Don’t panic!” Cassie advised, leaning against the Dance Dance Revolution. Tommy stood next to her, dumping a cane of powered sugar down his throat. Pink dust coated his lips.

“Panicking!” Kate squeaked.

Billy’s character blasted Kate’s with a fireball, laying Sonya Blade flat. “Shit, what buttons did I press?” He tried emulating the pattern as Sonya Blade recovered and came at Sindel with more punches.

“Actually, I play Sonya pretty often,” Teddy admitted. He had his arms crossed against his chest, watching the game beside Billy. “Try left, right, circle. That should be enough.”

Sonya Blade did a cartwheel, wrapping her legs around Sindel’s waist and body-slamming her from upside-down. Billy’s health dropped detrimentally, just a sliver of green left on the bar. “Tee, what the hell?” he demanded. “You’re _my_ boyfriend! That’s a total violation of trust!”

Kate cackled and Billy flew Sindel into the air and kicked Sonya Blade’s head back.

“I’m sorry,” Teddy apologized sheepishly.

“If you want, I could give you some tips and even out the boyfriend-double-crossing ratio,” Tommy offered. He wiggled his phone emphatically. “Got Google pulled up.”

Kate suddenly froze, controller lowering as her gaze slid toward Tommy. Very coolly, she spoke, “Tommy, I will be genuinely angry if you do that.” Billy tried to figure out some moves as his focus switched between Kate and the game.

Tommy obediently slipped his phone back into his pocket.

“Oh, come on! That’s not fair! Tommy, please?” Billy begged.

“Nope, sorry.” Tommy held up in hands. “I looked into her eyes and saw only death and destruction.”

Billy’s jaw dropped. He targeted Kate. “My boyfriend sold me out! Yours should too!”

“Invest in a proper trainer,” Kate quipped.

She finished the round with two spam punches.


	8. BillyTeddy: Fight

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Dated: October 19, 2015

“I fell in love with a super hero, okay? And I’m not going to sit around while the city is being terrorized so I can waste my life on you!” Teddy shouted. His words crashed between them like a caved-in ceiling. He clasped his hands over his mouth. “Oh, god. Billy - ”

“Is that how you’ve been feeling?” Billy said quietly, eerily.

“No,” Teddy pleaded. “Oh, god, no, that’s not what I meant.”

“Yes, it is,” Billy insisted plainly.

“No, it just came out wrong - ”

“Teddy, it’s fine. I’m glad you let me know, because now I can fix this.”

“Oh, no,” responded Teddy automatically. “Billy, please, don’t do that.”

Billy narrowed his eyes. “You think I’m a fuck-up.”

Teddy blanched. _“What?”_ Teddy shook his head. “Of course I don’t.”

“No, you do.” Billy nodded, considering this. This situation was warped - Billy composed while Teddy was frayed, the threading in the tips of his toes to the pads of his fingers coming undone. Billy glanced at his feet. “Look,” he reasoned, “it’s not like I’m _unaware_ of the differences between us.”

Teddy couldn’t seem to get his bearings right. He had let himself lose control and now everything was messy. "What differences?“

Billy looked at Teddy like he was stupid. He motioned to himself. "Uh, skinny nerd who can barely hit the hammer at those carnival games?” He pointed at Teddy. “Naughty school boy rendition of Chip and Dale’s?”

Agitation scratched at Teddy’s neck, an impatient itch. “Smoke and mirrors,” he dismissed.

“Does it matter?” Billy asked. “Besides, if it isn’t physical, it’s academic and athletic. You get A’s and basketball trophies, I get C’s and a comfy seat on the bleachers. Plus, you’re a _genuinely good person.”_

Teddy raised his eyebrows. “And you’re not?”

A smile tugged at Billy’s lips. “Not like you. You run into burning buildings to rescue dolls for little girls. I set cathedrals on fire at weddings.”

Teddy rubbed his face. “I didn’t intend for this to become a testament to how you fail as a person, because I happen to think you _don’t.”_

"I know you don’t. And trust me, I’m not trying to turn this around so it’s the Great Anti-Billy Hate Debate.” Billy’s hands chopped the air decisively. “This is constructive. This is me telling you that things are going to get better. That I am going to be a better boyfriend. _Fuck,_ I’m going to be the _best_ boyfriend. I promise.”

Billy walked swiftly up to Teddy, grabbing his face and pressing a kiss to his lips. Teddy stood still with his arms crossed, not feeling up to it. Billy backed away uncertainly, but still smiled. He gave a light punch to Teddy’s shoulder. “Go to bed. When you wake up, I swear things will be different.”

Teddy didn’t want overnight miracles. He also wanted with all his might to end the conversation that had started with calling Billy a _waste._ He sucked in a breath and attempted a smile. He ran his fingers through Billy’s dark hair, felt like crumpling when Billy laid his cheek in his palm. “Try not to bring the house down, alright?” he teased.

Billy dipped a kiss on his wrist. “Best boyfriend, starting tonight, remember?”

“Right. I’ll keep that in mind.” Teddy let his hand fall. “Good night,” he said, and walked toward the door.


	9. Gen: Teddy's Schedule

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Dated: October 30, 2015

Eli and Nate were meandering through Brooklyn after Eli complained about gas and needing to cut the joyride short. Eli had a busted wrist and Nate a short-circuited suit from a battle they got sucked into yesterday, so Billy had convinced them to cancel training today. Nate still couldn’t shake the feeling of anxiety, of Must-Do-Something-Must-Get-Better, but it was admittedly nice. Walking around, eating cheap food, making stupid conversation with an actual, real-life friend. There weren’t many of those in the year 3000.

Nate was about to make a joke around a chunk of half-chewed hotdog when Eli elbowed him. “Hey, isn’t that Tee?”

Nate followed Eli’s gaze. Sure enough, Teddy had his backpack slung over his shoulder and the same Varsity jacket he always wore (or “flaunted,” according to Eli). Nate quickly swallowed his food and waved. “Tee! Come here!”

Teddy glanced up, breaking out into a smile and jogging up. “Hey, what are you guys doing here?”

“Encroaching on your territory,” Eli quipped, face stoic.

Teddy pointed at him, a happy curl to his lips. “Stay away from my customers. I run a solid business.”

Nate scrunched his nose. “You’re a businessman?” He took another bite of his hotdog.

Teddy laughed softly. “No drug dealers in the future?”

“Guess the government _is_ around for a reason,” Eli remarked.

“Oh, there are,” Nate dismissed.

Eli shook his head. “Fucking knew it.”

  
“Ah,” Nate sounded. “You should hang with us. We’re not doing anything, but like, in a fun way.”

Teddy’s smile drooped. “I wish I could.” Eli rolled his eyes, but Teddy said, “No, really. I got practice.”

“For basketball?” asked Eli. “How? We usually have training at 6.” Eli read his watch. “It’s 3.”

Nate’s eyebrows knitted together. “How long does basketball practice go for?”

“A while.” Teddy grimaced. “I actually have to leave early sometimes to meet up with you guys for training. I think Coach hinted last week he’s contemplating revoking my Varsity status.”

“Can he do that?” Eli questioned.

Teddy shrugged. “Not really up to finding out, honestly.”

“Teddy,” Nate said seriously. “Do you rest before you come to training, or do you just - come straight from practice every day?”

“Straight from practice.”

Eli’s face contorted into something vaguely freaked-out. “Do you, like, get any sleep? You got homework, don’t you?”

“Four hours, usually. Weekends are easier. And I do homework after training.”

Nate admired Teddy for it, but that was unwise. “You can’t work 24/7. I need you at full strength if we’re ever going to defeat Kang.”

“Can Kang not come up in _every_ conversation with you?” Eli requested.

“He’s a major threat!”

“I get rest, Nate, I promise,” Teddy assured.

Eli snorted. “Yeah, how else would he have so many obnoxious inside jokes with Billy?”

“Oh, good. At least both you and Billy find the time to relax.”

“Ugh, I _wish._ I’m so exhausted after practice and training, but Billy is a night owl and by the time we’re alone he just wants to - ” Teddy abruptly stopped, jaw snapping shut. 

“Holy shit,” Eli repeated.

Teddy pinched the bridge of his nose, closing his eyes. “I’m sorry. I must be more tired than I thought. Let’s just… pretend this conversation never happened.”

“I can do that,” Eli agreed, nodding.

Teddy checked his phone. “Oh, I really need to head on over to the meet,” he said hurriedly. “See you - hopefully - tomorrow. Um, later.” Teddy started away, a little too fast.

Eli and Nate looked at each other in solidarity. Nate bit his hotdog.

“Actually, I’m kind of glad he doesn’t have a social life,” Nate explained, enunciation garbled. “It means he’s not just avoiding me because I’m a loser. Is that bad?”

Eli shook his head, starting up their walk. “I’m still pretending we never saw Teddy.”

“Huh.”


	10. Nohmmy: Curls

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Dated: October 31, 2015

Tommy promised to stay that night, even as he got out of bed. Noh listened intently, tracking Tommy’s steps from the bedroom to the shower to the hair dryer. Noh stayed on the pillow, fingers drumming on the blanket draped across his chest.

“Alright.” Tommy reentered, immediately heading toward Noh’s dresser and sliding out the top drawer. His bare skin was white as bone in the moonlight spilling from the window. “My presence, as requested,” he spoke, grabbing a clean pair of Noh’s boxers and sliding them on. He crawled back into bed.

His hair was curly.

Noh tugged on one of his curls. “You’ve got curly hair,” he pointed out, voice soft as to fit the quiet of the night.

“Yeah,” Tommy murmured, eyes closed. “There’s more of that, if you go down south.”

“You flat iron your hair.”

“Mm.”

“Why?”

Tommy sighed and rolled inward, head just _almost_ resting in the nook of Noh’s arm, _almost_ close enough to cuddle. “Because I’m the pretty one,” he mumbled. “Billy’s the mess with bad hair days and frizz.”

“I don’t think Billy is _that_ bad.”

Tommy peeked one eye at him. “Have you seen his eyebrows? They’re becoming one massive caterpillar.”

Noh thought about that. “Come to think of it, I don’t recall ever seeing his eyebrows. His bangs are usually covering them.”

“Yeah, it’s so no one notices his giant ears.”

“Shouldn’t you two have the same ears?”

“We _should._ But if you pay attention to the details, I’m the better package.”

“Oh, you mean he’s small down there?”

“That, too. I mean, probably, anyway. I’ve never actually measured, but I’m confident - ” Tommy yawned, “ - I’d win that round.”

Noh hummed and looped an arm around Tommy’s back, pulling him into the nook of his arm. “I think you’re cute with curls.”

“Of course, I am. I’m cute in everything.”

“You’re the cutest in my sheets.”

Tommy didn’t reply, but he let out a breathy laugh and even nuzzled in.

 


	11. TommyKate: Target Practice

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Dated: January 7, 2016

Kate tucked a lock of hair that had fallen from her ponytail behind her ear. Billy’s energy blasts ripped through the stuffy air of the training room and bounced off the walls in soundwaves. Noh was cackling somewhere as he sparred with Teddy - a quick glance around and, ah, he was racing around Teddy in circles. Hulkling couldn’t land a punch. He looked caught between annoyed and amused, crossing his arms and waiting for an opportunity to trip him up.

“Hey, you go any faster and you’ll suffocate him!” America warned. She was standing by a punching bag, white t-shirt soaked in sweat and thick hair a tangled mess framing her face.

“Good plan!” shouted Noh. That’s when dragonesque wings sprouted from Teddy’s back and slammed Noh across the room.

Kate smiled. She wasn’t petty enough to administer pain to an ex-boyfriend; but she could at least enjoy when someone else did it _for_ her. She turned to the bullseye, adjusting her bow and preparing to release the arrow.

A breeze brushed her neck. “Is that Cupid’s arrow you’re pointing? Because I think you struck my heart,” said Tommy.

“Oh, my god.” Kate laughed and shook her head. “Do you ever hear the things that come out of your mouth?”

“Of course, I’m very clever.”

Kate rolled her eyes at him. “You’re ridiculous.” She kept her bow in the air, but shifted her attention slightly to Tommy.

He grinned. “Yeah, I know. You should cut me some slack, Bishop. It’s not easy talking to you.”

Kate prickled. “Why’s _that?”_

Tommy spread out his palms. “‘Cause you’re awesome?” He offered a small smile. “If I’m gonna’ screw up talking to you, I may as well make you laugh while I do it.”

She felt her cheeks redden. Her heart sparked and she accidentally let go of the arrow. It zinged past the target board and -

Noh yelped.

She shot Noh in the ass.

Kate’s entire face was red now. She set her bow down. “I’m so sorry!” she called out.

“Oh, god,” Noh cried. Teddy hovered over him, grimacing as he tried to calm him.

Tommy cackled, features lit up like the city.

“Oh, _shut up,”_ she snapped.

Still grinning, he looked at her. “Oh, come on. You have to admit, that was pretty funny.”

Kate glanced back to where Teddy was attempting to remove the arrow from Noh’s rear-end. He was acting particularly dramatic, flailing and whining. Kate bit her lip. “Okay, yeah, it is _very_ funny.”

Tommy’s smile was huge. “See?” he said. “You’re awesome.”


	12. Patridgy: Movie Date

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Dated: April 14, 2016

David counts down the seconds in his head. _60, 59, 58 … 3, 2, 1._ He glances at Eli, slouched against the loveseat, arms crossed over his chest as he watches the movie. His lower lip juts out in that perennial pout of his. Restart. _60, 59 …_ David isn’t sure if he’s always angry, or if that’s just his resting face. He’s fairly certain Eli would pick a fight if he asked, though.

David shifts a bit, checks his watch. In 50 seconds, he’ll kiss Eli. The screen lights up in the dark of his living room. Maybe it’s too dark in here. Maybe he should’ve kept a lamp on. Set the mood. The lamp is next to Eli, though, and David doesn’t want to ruin any hypothetical mood by asking him to turn on a light.

 _6, 5, 4, 3, 2 …_ Restart. Eli has perked up, probably without noticing, eyes glued to the screen. Something important is happening. Damn. A movie date was a poor decision. Should’ve gone with making dinner together. Teddy had given him that idea. David thought it was romantic, and it had been a very _Teddy_ idea, though perhaps not a very Eli one.

David sighs, completely by accident. It’s easy to forget himself when the room is so dark and no one is watching him. But Eli picks up on it and casts a sideways glance at him. He looks suspicious, or annoyed - a very Eli expression. David smiles despite himself. Only for a second, though.

“What?” Eli asks, like David’s sigh is a formal complaint.

As it is, the sigh is more an informal complaint than anything. But questions demands answers, and David demands some proof this is a date after all. Unfortunately, he’s at a loss for words beneath Eli’s glare. That’s nothing new. David has to improvise. He twisted his body around to face Eli, then slowly places his hand over where Eli’s wrist rests on his knee. When Eli doesn’t shake him off, David squeezes his wrist and leans in. Eli’s lips are warm and just a little wet and soft. David brushes his fingers behind David’s ear and cradles the back of his head. Eli kisses back, and it’s sweeter than David ever imagined Eli could be.

When David pulls back, Eli drapes his arm across the back of the couch so David can nestle into the crook of his body. He lays his head on Eli’s shoulder and tangles their feet together. On the TV, a man’s arm is getting ripped off.


	13. BillyTeddy: Egg

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> WARNING: I wrote this a while ago, okay? With a friend. As a joke. I am ashamed. I only put this here to show my roots. Where I came from. In fact, don't even read this. Just go on, pretending I have dignity. 
> 
> Dated: August 20, 2015

“Billy,” Teddy called from the bathroom.

“What?”

“I… Just come here.”

They stood there, together, looking at the egg in the bathtub.

“What am I looking at here?”

“I… think I just gave birth.”

“Do you call it birth if it’s an egg?”

“I just laid an egg, then.”

“Huh.”

“Maybe it’s not fertilized yet?” Billy volunteered optimistically, standing over the egg. It was slightly slimy and stuck to the floor of the tub in viscous goo.

“I don’t even know if it has to be fertilized. There could be a living creature in there already.”

“Like a lizard?” Billy always wanted a pet lizard. His mother said cats were more beneficial to stress-relief. Billy was allergic to cats. He got nothing.

Teddy looked at Billy quietly, exhaling through his nose. He seemed like he was counting backwards from ten. He was mouthing the numbers, at least. He stopped at five. “No, Bill. Like a person. A Skrull-slash-Kree-slash-human. Part reptile, part cockroach, part wizard.”

Billy’s stomach flipped. “I’m going to be sick,” he admitted, clutching his torso.

“No,” Teddy said calmly. “You’re going to be dead.”

* * *

 

“The fruit of my loins,” Billy proudly announced. Kate twisted the egg in her palm, inspecting.

Teddy hung his head in his hands, elbows perched on the dining table. “Oh, my god. I don’t know how, but the Skrull Empire is going to find out I have a predecessor and invade Earth. Because of me. _Again._ And then the Kree government is going to go, Hey, I wonder what those green bastards are doing! And they are going to also invade Earth. Because of me. _Again.”_

“It needs a face,” Kate decided, placing the egg on the counter gently and heading off in search of a marker.

Billy patted the egg gently on the head. “You haven’t even held him yet. Before you go off predicting the end of the world — _you laid an egg!_ How cool! You’re like a xenomorph or something!”

“A xenopmorph,” Teddy repeated numbly. He cocked his head, looking at Billy curiously. “Where did you get such charm with men? If it weren’t for you, I don’t think I’d ever have been called a xenomorph. Least not in a positive way. In fact, I don’t think I’d be in this situation at all if it weren’t for you.”

“Hey, let’s not go pointing fingers,” Billy warned, pointing his finger. “You were completely fine without the condom that night, if I recall.”

Kate returned, marker in hand, and began to doodle on the egg.

Teddy shook his head. “I didn’t think that — I didn’t think I would get _pregnant!_ I didn’t think that far ahead. I didn’t think that it would — that my organs would…” Teddy watched in a numb sort of way as Kate drew, watched the careful loops and curves of the marker.

“Again, I don’t think you can really call it _‘getting pregnant,’”_ Billy air-quoted. “You laid an egg. You didn’t give birth.”

Kate gave the egg a mustache.


	14. BillyTeddy: Scene!

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> _32\. Forced Kiss_
> 
> Ehhh….less forced, more scripted?
> 
> Dated: May 27, 2016

“Sorry, Kaplan. You’re stuck with me. Till death do us part.” 

Billy turned away from the window and gazed upward, furrowing his brow and allowing a small smile. “Teddy Altman,” he accused, “did you just propose to me?”

Teddy Altman shrugged. “Depends. Are you gonna get off your ass and do something?”

Billy slowly rose from his seat and was swept into a pair of strong arms. Billy closed the distance between them, leaning down just enough for his lips to brush Teddy’s. It was a movement so subdued it seemed numb. Within seconds, however, he deepened the kiss and pressed himself against Teddy’s chest. The kiss energized bit by bit, like an awakening. 

Tapping sounded, and they swiveled their heads to where Captain Marvel was perched on a tree. “Sorry to interrupt, boys. But Cap needs you at the mansion.”

Billy reluctantly pulled back, but he didn’t let go of Teddy. “But,” Teddy tried to protest.

“In uniform,” Ms. Marvel added.

Billy brushed a lock of white hair from his face and frowned. “But - ”

_“Now.”_

Teddy and Billy exchanged remorseful looks that, as Billy imagined fierce violins introducing both an end and a beginning, morphed into excitement. He felt ready.

“Scene!” David’s voice cut through the dim-lit bedroom of Billy Kaplan. Rufus and Noh detached politely. Their guest star stepped down from the small plastic prop. 

Noh cheered and waved his arms. “That was _awesome!”_ He snapped his fingers. “David, tell me that wasn’t perfect,” he ordered.

David smirked from his director’s chair. “I’d be lying if I did,” he praised. “What’d you think, Will?”

Will sat on the floor, legs crossed and an entire box of doughnuts in his lap. He gulped down the remaining piece of a powdered doughnut and clapped his sugar-coated hands. “I totally felt it, guys!” he said around his food. 

Rufus smiled proudly. “Thanks. Actually, I really connected with this scene when I was reading your books.” Rufus headed over to Will as Noh tore off the itchy gray hoodie. “I wanted to bring that emotion into the screen adaptation,” he explained. 

Will scrambled to set the box on the ground and get to his feet. “You definitely did,” he confirmed, nodding his head eagerly. “I mean, not that you haven’t been nailing the entire season. Or, you know, the seasons before that.”

Rufus laughed. “I like to think I’ve gotten a better hang of Teddy since you started directing with David. It’s too bad you weren’t here for the first couple seasons.”

Will shook his head and held up his hands like stop signs. “No, really, you’re great. You were the perfect choice for this role, and I’m honestly - _blown away_ that I wrote Teddy before I met you. Because I swear, you’re him.” Then Will breathed for the first time and realized how excessive he was being. “Um. Sorry,” he tacked on lamely.

The piercings in Rufus’ ears reflected fragments of the stage lights. Will remembered an interview he saw, long before they had had an actual conversation. Rufus had remarked on how, upon getting the role, he immediately pierced his ears. _“Maybe this will sound weird,”_ he had confessed, almost shyly, _“but when I found out the character liked this stuff - it grew on me.”_

“That means a lot to me,” Rufus graciously accepted. “And, hey, you remind me a lot of Billy, too.” 

“Oh!” exclaimed Will. “Please tell me you don’t also think he’s a self-insert. My foster brother started that rumor on Twitter after I gave the twins similar names.” Will gave Rufus a look which, with any luck, was convincing. 

Rufus proffered his palms, placating. “Never crossed my mind. I don’t even check my Twitter. Cathy does that for me.”

Will chuckled. He might believe that. Cathy adored her social media celebrity and used it to invest fans. She coined at least three ship names, all of which involved her character Kate Bishop. “I promise that any resemblance between Billy and I, or Tommy and Tim, is the product of laziness. Not wish-fulfillment.”

“Right,” Rufus agreed. “Wishing is Billy’s thing. Will’s is concrete planning and solid execution.”

“Damn right, it is.” Will folded his arms decisively. “Now help me finish these twenty boxes of doughnuts. I ordered thirty on impulse and apparently no one is hungry anymore.”


	15. BillyTeddy: The Jock

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Dated: June 6, 2016

It took Billy all of one second to see Kesler and make a run for it. He was leaning against the chain link fence of their football field, waiting for Billy with a smug look. He had a crappy imitation of their school’s mascot painted on his cheek for the pep rally. Billy turned on his heel, pushing against the grain of the crowd and letting the chants of the cheer squad become hazy background noise. He kept his head down, aiming to duck by unnoticed. The plan went haywire when he collided with another kid.

Billy’s head snapped up at Tommy’s voice. “Dude, chill,” he said, catching Billy by the shoulders. “Where you off to? Pep rally’s that-a-way.” He pointed over Billy.

Eli stood beside Tommy. He narrowed his eyes. “Are you skipping again?”

“Headache,” Billy excused. He tried to side-step, but Tommy matched him.

“Ugh,” Tommy complained. “Stop being a _loser.”_ Then his palms shot out and pushed Billy. It was unexpected, Billy would later defend, because he easily toppled over. Despite the cacophony from the pep rally, he heard his brother say, “Oh, shit.”

Billy shut his eyes and braced for an impact that never came. From behind, two arms caught him. “You okay?” a guy asked. Billy peeled open his eyes and gazed straight up at Teddy Altman, their linebacker.

“Yeah, he’s fine,” Tommy excused. He swatted at Teddy, prodding Billy to stand up. Billy smiled at Teddy. He hoped it conveyed a fair balance of _thanks for catching me_ and _thanks for making out with me last Tuesday, that was awesome._

Noh and Kate – running back and cheerleader, respectively – joined Teddy. Noh was frowning. He stuck a thumb in Tommy’s direction and glared at Teddy. “Is this the Kesler dude you were bitching about?”

“Uh,” said Teddy.

Noh turned on Tommy. “You got a fucking problem with my boy?” Noh stepped forward, pointedly invading that precious personal bubble Tommy brought up all the time.

 _“Your boy?”_ Tommy quoted, grinning in disbelief.

David, Tommy’s friend, entered the fold. “What’s going on?” he asked.

Tommy crossed his arms. “Pretty sure he’s Teddy’s.”

“Who is?” David asked again.

Noh got even closer. “Is that a gay joke?”

Ah, now it all made sense. “Wait, time out, guys,” Billy interjected.

Teddy leaned down to whisper in Billy’s ear. “Is that Kesler? Isn’t he a little too – related to you?”

“Yeah, we’re just a little identical.”

“Is anyone going to clue me in?” David griped.

“Answer the question,” ordered Noh. “Are you making a gay joke?”

Tommy blinked in rapid succession. “I – maybe? I didn’t really think – ”

Noh shoved Tommy. Tommy stumbled into Eli, who pushed him instinctively away. “What the hell?” Eli exclaimed at Noh in shock.

“Back me up, Bradley!” Tommy shouted. His voice boomed more; the crowd was mostly gone now.

_“What?”_

Teddy slid between Noh and Tommy. “There’s been a misunderstanding,” he informed, tone placating.

From the field, a teacher began speaking into a microphone. The pep rally was about to begin.

Billy furrowed his eyebrows and faced Kate. “Aren’t you going to be late?” he reminded, motioning his head toward the pep rally. As he spoke, he realized she wasn’t in uniform. Her white sneakers and maroon-striped shirt were gone, and in their place were impractical heels and a pencil skirt.

“I quit the cheerleading squad. Cassie and Jonas have been begging me to join their robotics club.”

Tommy suddenly squawked. Kate flicked her eyes at the group of boys squabbling. Tommy was flailing his arms like an enraged bird at Noh. Eli was punctuating Tommy’s rant with head-nods, his expression stern. David has resigned himself to scrolling on his phone. Kate simply shook her head, a decisive move Billy can only guess means she believes men are unfit to survive the next winter, and holds up her wrist watch.

“Which they’re setting up right now. I have to meet up with them soon, but I wanted to see these two boneheads off.” Her smile was fond, even with the harsh words, and Billy got that. His brother was Tommy, after all. “You should probably help diffuse that train wreck, by the way,” she advised. She had this perfect little smirk on her pretty face.

“Right.” Billy wiped his sweaty hands on his jeans. “Guys!” he announced. “Tommy’s not homophobic!”

Tommy looked at Billy, unimpressed. “We’ve moved past that,” he said flatly.

“He’s just freaking annoying,” Noh clarified.

Billy couldn’t disagree with that, but Tommy apparently could by his further flailing. His arms spazzed with renewed vigor.

Billy glanced at Teddy. Some time during Billy’s brief conversation with Kate, he had gotten excluded from the argument. Billy scrambled for a topic. “Are you participating in the rally?”

“Ah, yeah. The football team has to parade around once or twice,” he explained, moving his fingers like a pair of walking legs. “What about you?”

Billy twisted a bit, as subtly as he could, to see if Kesler was still at the gate. There were no signs of him. Billy looked up at Teddy. “Save me a spot in the potato sack race?”

Teddy grinned. “There’s no other leg I’d rather be awkwardly bound to and stuffed inside a bag with.”

Billy quirked an eyebrow. “Kinky, Altman.”

Teddy laughed and dipped his chin, large hand coming up to scratch his neck. “I guess that’s one way to interpret potato sack racing.”

“That’s the _only_ way.”

Teddy nodded at the group. “Alright, everyone. Let’s head on over to the field before a teacher snaps at us.”

Tommy strode over. “Except you, Kate,” he remarked. “Because you’re a loser and the cheerleaders kicked you out.”

“You two know each other?” Billy questioned. That was new.

“We met in detention after he stepped on Cassie’s robot and I stabbed him with a pencil,” she confessed. Kate flipped her hair over her shoulder. “It was very _Breakfast Club.”_

“Wait, which characters were you two?” Billy attempted to ask, but Kate had sped away on her heels.

Billy felt the warm brush of Teddy’s hand on his back – just a whisper of a touch, but definitely there for a moment. “I always liked the jock,” he admitted, nonchalant as they made their way to the rally.

Billy didn’t blush, probably. But his favorite character had always been the basket case.


	16. Billy & Tommy: Quiet

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Dated: June 7, 2016

Billy sometimes worries about his powers. He’s the first one to assure everyone that he’s fine, that he’s really not that powerful, and he’s got it under control anyway. But secretly, he’s terrified.

He’s terrified every time he says he wants something and it happens. He’s terrified every time he’s in an argument and wins. He’s terrified that what makes him happy isn’t real, and what makes him angry will make him lose his mind.

He feels trapped inside his mind, except he also feels like his mind is this ever-expanding thing as infinite as space and that’s he everywhere without being able to move, or breathe, or think.

Every thought could be pulling a trigger he didn’t know was there.

Tommy drags him out of the house on these days, when his head is reeling with every possibility that he could make real. Teddy is soft and gentle, cradles him so Billy doesn’t rock himself like a maniac. His parents smile sympathetically, though they’ll never really get it, and let him know there are hands waiting to catch him.

Tommy isn’t gentle. Tommy grabs his hand until it’s ready to burst from his socket, rambling a mile a minute about everything under the sun. He’s vibrating now. Tommy is too much, Billy is overwhelmed enough as it is, and before he can think about that gun and its invisible, ever-present trigger, Billy tells him to _stop._

Billy blinks and Tommy is gone. His breath hitches, he didn’t even know he wanted that - but, then, Tommy is back. Tommy is back, shouting, “You can’t tell me what to do. I can outrun your overbearing demands!”

He loops around the pavement outside Billy’s house, back and forth, countless times in no time at all.

Billy’s head finally quiets. Tommy is right; he’s faster than everything. He’s faster than Billy’s thoughts. Tommy can never stop, and Billy isn’t a gun with an invisible trigger.

He’s just a twin, the slow one, and he’s going to be fine.


	17. BillyTeddy: I Want to Heal

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Dated: June 11, 2016

The mood isn’t right. Teddy can sense that, but he doesn’t care. That’s what terrifies him the most about Billy, that’s what he thinks always will: with him, Teddy just can’t find it in himself to care about the aftermath. It could be the most wrong thing in the world, and Billy will make it _so right._

But it’s _not_ right, because they’re behind some grungy alley in Brooklyn and when they crash into the wall, Teddy _slams_ Billy’s head against the brick. He hears the crunch before the howl. Teddy’s hand comes back covered in blood.

He’s a stuttering mess and he can’t believe he actually asks Billy _if he’s okay._ Even less believable, Billy keeps promising he is. He cradles his red-matted curls in his dark hands and his deep brown eyes ice over. _“IWantToHealIWantToHealIWantToHealIWantToHeal.”_ Billy chants. Then a glowing blue veil replaces the red stains in his hair and in between his fingers. Teddy takes a step back, partly to give him whatever space he might need, partly because there’s a silent horror dawning on him. Billy’s powers are breathtaking, but they’re new to them both. _Teddy_ may be able to deny the unearthliness inherent in what Billy is _capable_ of, but his instincts can’t.

When Billy looks up and finds Teddy detached, his eyes are a warm brown once more and they’re the size of planets. “Did I creep you out?” he blurts, frantic.

“No, you’re fine!” Teddy lies.

“I can – I can undo that,” says Billy. He squeezes his eyes shut. _“IWantACrackedSkullIWantACrack – ”_

Teddy’s palms fly over Billy’s mouth before he can do something stupid and messy. “What are you doing?” he demands, feeling his brows furrow. He doesn’t think schooling his expression to be more placid would suit this particular situation. “Don’t do that,” he commands. He prides himself on keeping his cool, but it’s been three weeks dating Billy and he finds an increasing list of contexts in which calm tempers only passively encourage the human disaster that is Billy Kaplan.

Once Teddy is confident Billy isn’t going to purposefully split his head open, Teddy lets his hands fall to his sides. Billy’s eyes tentatively open. He grabs hold of Teddy’s wrist. “You know, I can’t cast most of my spells unless I can hear myself talk. I can cast some spells, but not like, reality-reconstruction. I can’t, uh, retcon. I think it’s a concentration thing.”

Billy’s frowning, getting lost in his thoughts probably. His fingers are long and slender around Teddy’s skin. There’s a strength to the grasp that Teddy, against all prior life lessons, wants to call possessive. “Yeah, I think Nate’s been playing with that idea, too,” Teddy agrees. Billy still has his wrist trapped between them. Teddy doesn’t pull away. “Why are you bringing this up?” Teddy asks and hopes it comes off as curious – which it is – and not pushy.

Billy’s eyes flutter this way and that. He avoids landing on Teddy’s gaze. “I just want you to know that I have weaknesses. I’m not invincible.” He finally locks his eyes on Teddy. He has a small smile on his face. “And I’m definitely a liability in melee combat. Kissing ranging is basically killing range.”

It’s meant to be a joke, Teddy knows that. It still strikes an off chord. “You don’t have to give me tips on how to defeat you in combat,” says Teddy. It’s ridiculous how his tone is completely serious, how this is a sincere conversation.  

It’s ridiculous how he can’t picture any other relationship being as satisfying as this wonderfully bizarre thing he has going on with Billy.

“Well, you never know,” Billy reminds. “I could get too excited and, I don’t know, summon lightning to electrocute you from the sky.”

Teddy’s not sure how to respond to that, so he waits for Billy to hastily add, _“Not_ that you’re at any actual risk of spontaneous electrocution. I wouldn’t do that to you.” Billy nods his head firmly, puffing out his thin chest. “I’m a hero, after all.”

Teddy laughs, even though he truly believes every word Billy just told him.

He moves in and cradles the back of Billy’s head, all fixed-up and solid; careful to cushion Billy with his hand when he pushes him against the brick this time. Careful, always, to protect him.


	18. BillyTeddy & Katie: Winter

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Happy holidays, Omii!

Billy watched Teddy stomp around their front yard in his giant boots, bag of rock salt balanced in the crook of his arm. To Billy’s disappointment, the snow did not immediately dissolve beneath the salt. Billy sighed noisily, his breath condensing in the air. “The first house we buy is going to be secluded from all neighbors. It’s taking every ounce of my willpower not to wave my hand and go, _snow-be-gone,_ ” he informed.

Teddy’s smile was unnaturally warm for the weather. “We’ll have the money soon enough. Besides, living here is not so bad. We’re close to Katie’s private teacher. That’s important.”

At her name, Billy looked to their house. Predictably, Katie’s green face was smooshed against the window, scaly fingers splayed against the glass. Billy crossed his eyes and stuck his tongue out at her. Katie hopped giddily before hooking her fingers into her cheeks and making a funny face back.

“She’s getting bored,” Billy observed. “Don’t know why she won’t just watch TV. There’s no way we’re more entertaining than Kevin McCallister. That kid is legendary.”

Teddy glanced at their daughter. “It’s probably a commercial break. That, or she’s lonely.”

Billy nodded and dug his shovel into, possibly, his driveway. The latest snowfall had their street looking like Pompeii after Mount Vesuvius. “You’re right. We should get a dog,” he agreed, dumping a pile of snow onto, possibly, his lawn.

Teddy chuckled and shook his head. “I’m afraid you’ll be facing that battle with the landlord alone.”

“It’ll keep her company!”

“And get us kicked out,” Teddy reminded him.

“Where’s your sense of adventure? You are not the man I married,” Billy admonished. His ears were starting to ache from the cold, so he yanked down on the brim of his winter hat.

“‘Not the man you married’? I wonder how common shapeshifters hear that from their spouses,” Teddy mused.

Billy stuck his shovel into the snow and hit ice. He lost balance and one of his legs sunk deeper into the snow than comfortable. “Maybe there’s a poll online somewhere,” he grunted, retrieving his knee with a slight stumble backwards.

“Need some help over there?” offered Teddy, laughter adding a lilt to his voice.

Katie remained at the window. Billy spotted her laughing at him. When they locked gazes, however, she ducked out of sight. “Okay,” he said, “I can _kind of_ see how we entertain her.”

“You _are_ a walking slapstick routine, it seems,” Teddy conceded.

Before Billy could reply, the front door opened and out came Katie. Her cropped blonde hair now fell to her shoulders, black and wavy. Her green scales had been swapped out for Billy’s complexion. She was dressed in a thin sweater and jeans.  

Teddy quickly set his bag on the ground. “Oh, no, you don’t,” he tutted, dashing toward her. She had barely made it to the second porch step when Teddy picked her up beneath her arms and walked her back inside the house. Katie protested as the door closed behind them.

Billy dutifully resumed shoveling. Twenty minutes had dragged on, Billy’s arms getting sore with his progress. He distracted himself from the nagging chill nipping his exposed skin with a spectrum of thoughts, like if Tommy enjoyed sledding or found it too slow, how America and Eli’s mission together two days ago ago went, and did David ever figure out what exactly those pictures Noh sent were _of?_ The Snapchat filter had added reindeer horns to it, and the GPS feature specified he was on Mars, but —

The door opened again. Teddy emerged alongside a waddling child. Billy could barely make out his kid’s face. The puffiness of her winter coat made her arms stick out awkwardly. Her hands were bundled in mittens, the bunched legs suggested she wore several layers of pants, and her snow boots lit up when she walked. A thick scarf covered her neck and nose, and she wore earmuffs beneath her pom-pom hat. Her hood was pulled up and over.

She stepped somewhat uncertainly onto the pavement, Teddy’s arms steadying her. “There’s no ice, right?” she asked.

“Not over here, no,” Teddy assured.

“Good.” With that, Katie surged forward. “Dad, I wanna help,” she announced, her hands grabbing for Billy’s shovel like fuzzy pinchers.

“I don’t think this shovel is your size,” Billy said apologetically.

“It’s fine, it’s not that big — _please?”_ Katie wrapped her arms around Billy’s waist and stuck her bottom lip out in a pout. She stared up at him with the full force of sad puppy eyes.

Teddy passed them, lifting his bag of salt and returning to work.

“Alright,” allowed Billy, tone cautionary. He held his shovel out for her to take; it was a foot taller than her. She hopped and squealed when she got the shovel, but her attitude sobered as she struggled to hold the behemoth in her mittens. Billy helped her adjust the shovel until it teetered in the air, horizontal from her body. “It’s not a weapon, Katie,” he advised.

“I know.”

“Do you? You’re holding it like —” Billy was cut short when Katie whirled around and accidentally rammed the shovel into his gut.

Katie’s expression was wide-eyed. “Sorry! I’m sorry!” Katie sputtered. “Daddy? Daddy, you’re not going to take away my shovel, are you? I’m sorry.”

“You can keep your shovel. Just, I’m going to stand a bit — over here.” Billy backed up sufficiently and gave her a reassuring smile. “Try again,” he encouraged.

Katie’s brow furrowed and she gave a serious, solder-like nod. “Yes!” Inspired, she whirled around a second time and dove her shovel into Billy’s snow pile.

“No, no — not that one!” Billy warned. “That’s where you put the snow, baby.” He pointed toward the driveway. “You want to shovel that stuff.”

Katie looked more confused than anything, but Billy didn’t have much to worry about — her strength gave out prematurely and the scooped snow tipped out less than a foot from the pile. She tried to retrieve the snow, but she stumbled in her boots and dropped the shovel. Billy couldn’t help but giggle.

Katie apparently heard him, because she turned to face him with an offended gasp. “Are you laughing at me?” she demanded, perching her hands on her hips.

“Billy’s being silly,” Teddy chimed in, grinning at the two of them.

“That _rhyme_ is silly,” Billy fired back. He turned back toward Katie, an apology on his lips, when a snowball hit him square in the face. He dusted the snow off and looked at Katie’s wicked smile.

“That’s what you _get,”_ she said.

“Okay, war,” said Billy, nodding, “this means war.”

He bent down to pack a snowball, but Teddy disapproved. “Nope, no war. We need to finish the driveway before the landlord gets here in an hour.”

Teddy ignored Katie’s whines and tossed another fist of salt into the hedge of snow lining their sidewalk. Billy continued rolling his snow until it was sturdy and round. Then he hurled it at the back of Teddy’s head. Katie cheered.

Teddy rubbed his skull, but he was smiling. The dimples Billy fell in love with when they were sixteen flashed in his cheeks. “You really want to play this game?” he asked, mock dangerously.

Billy grabbed another ball of snow. “There’s always time to save the world.”

“From me?”

“Yeah, from you.” Billy deepened his voice to a growl. “You and your evil, anti-snow agenda.”

“He’s trying to get rid of snow everywhere!” Katie cried. She plunged his mittens into the snow, rolling a particularly large ball. “We can’t let him get away with this! Billy, man the fort!”

Billy paused. “What fort?”

Katie dodged Teddy’s lazy snowball, eliciting a mild note of frustration from him. “The one you’re building!” she said.

“Oh. Of course. Silly me,” Billy remarked.

“Silly Billy!” Teddy shouted.

Katie seconded him. “Silly Billy!”

Billy jogged over to the snow pile. “I’m going to get you guys for that. Mark my words,” he griped, lowering onto his knees.

“Quick!” Katie ordered. Teddy’s snowball smacked her stomach and she stomped her boot at him indignantly.

Billy began patting the snow pile in the form of a wall. “Forts take time!”

“Get Uncle Tommy!”

“I can build a fort just fine!” Billy defended himself. Teddy’s snowball hit his ear. “Not cool!”

“Not cool at all,” Teddy agreed. “It’s _cold._ ” He blew a kiss, which was totally unfair, being cute after making that pun.

Billy took a chunk of his fort and threw it at his husband. Teddy danced merrily out of the way, ducking and laughing as Katie lobbed a snowball at him. “He’s stealing from your fort!” he tattled.

“ _Daddy!”_ Katie scolded Billy.

“Sorry, sorry!” Billy said. He started to plead as Teddy and Katie pelted him with snowballs from either side. He pressed himself to the ground, laughing ridiculously and covering his face. His face hurt more from smiling and being buried in the snow, but Billy didn’t mind the happy aches so much.


End file.
